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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 4

Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed) Priority Questions. - Youth Services.

Dan Boyle

Ceist:

78 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which it is proposed to administer and operate within his Department, the young people's facilities and services fund. [17714/03]

The young people's facilities and services fund was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract at risk young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse.

Most of the money is spent in the 14 local drugs task force areas but, recognising that the drug problem is not confined to these areas, funding was also allocated to a number of urban areas, including Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Carlow. To date, more than €68 million has been allocated under the fund. This includes a sum of €9.1 million in respect of the Springboard initiative, which is administered by the Department of Health and Children. Funding of €15.877 million is available for the fund this year, of which €10.133 million is for capital projects and €5.744 million for services.

With regard to the current position, the national assessment committee for the fund, which is chaired by my Department, is examining the services projects funded under round one. The intention is that, where they are found to be effective, they will be mainstreamed, thereby enabling their ongoing provision by statutory agencies.

Qualification for continued funding is dependent on the successful evaluation of each project by the services steering group, which has been established to examine the projects, and subject to sufficient funding being in place. The work of the steering group has recently been completed and recommendations will be submitted to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion at its July meeting. The development groups will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

The Cabinet committee also considered recently a number of issues relating to the operation of the fund, including its future funding. The matter will be kept under review and the Cabinet committee will return to the issue at its next meeting.

The fund is regarded as a very important element of the drugs strategy, particularly the prevention pillar, and it has been positively received in drugs task force areas over the past five years. In supporting communities in their efforts to prevent young people from drifting into drug misuse, the fund aims to provide positive alternatives and divert them from the dangers of drug dependency.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply but there is considerable concern within youth services and those voluntary organisations that work directly with young people that the fund has been moved from the Department of Education and Science to the new Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. There may be an argument for having the Department deal directly with youth services but the handling of this fund has left many in the sector feeling confused. They are back to the situation against which they campaigned for years of having to deal with several Departments to access funds to work with young people. I ask the Government to re-examine the situation to ensure all the funding comes from one Department.

More seriously, the movement of the fund from the Department of Education and Science to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has been accompanied by political sleight of hand in that the fund has not only been moved, it has been reduced. Many of those who work with young people have been angered by these two movements – they are trying to access badly needed money to work with young people and less money is available. I also note with concern the Minister of State's remarks about the Cabinet reviewing the fund itself, a dangerous preliminary signal that this fund may not exist in years to come.

I am surprised at what the Deputy is saying because the feedback from people in the business was that they wanted the fund administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and they wondered why it was ever within the remit of the Department of Education and Science. It is one fund, but not the only fund, that supports youth workers. It is part of the national drugs strategy and most people wanted it to be under the control of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs because it was strange that we were administering it but it was included in the education Vote. It is for people at risk, it is an extra fund allowing youth services to employ extra workers to deal with people in specific areas who were at risk from drugs. I have not heard that concern previously because everyone wanted it in the one Department for co-ordination purposes.

The fund has delivered capital and services. We could do with more funding and it is true there are ongoing pressures on the present fund. The amount allocated this year puts us under pressure as we try to meet all commitments. The fund, however, is a necessary part of the strategy and it is doing a good job in the drugs task force areas.

The concern in the youth services is that funding has moved from a single Department into separate Departments. There is no argument about the fact that youth services might be better looked after within the Department if it was prepared to take on that responsibility – that is an argument for the Cabinet – but compartmentalising youth services will not help in the distribution of these funds.

The wider question for the Minister of State is the degree to which consultation took place with youth organisations about the distribution of this fund. I note the Minister of State did not address my central point that the movement of the fund has been accompanied by a significant decrease in funding, sending out the wrong signals to those working with young people.

We got the fund from the Department of Education and Science and the figure we are using is the one from that Department so I do not see how there could be any reduction in the services. The services we have provided under the fund are being evaluated and that will be discussed at the July meeting. I fail to see how there could be any reduction in the services currently being provided.

The Deputy has surprised me. I have not heard this criticism anywhere else because we are not just funding youth workers, there are all sorts of other workers who are working with at risk youths in disadvantaged areas where drugs are a reality.

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